Governor DeWine Signs Executive Order Approving Emergency Rules on Medicaid Provider Revalidation

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today (5/18/26) signed Executive Order 2026-01D to allow the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) to implement emergency rules to require more frequent revalidation of providers being identified as higher-risk for committing fraud.  

Since Governor DeWine's direct oversight of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigations, prosecutions, and referrals began in 2011 during his time as attorney general and continuing under his leadership overseeing Medicaid's comprehensive work to fight fraud as governor, the State of Ohio  has been responsible for more than 2,300 Medicaid fraud indictments, secured 2,200 criminal convictions, and recovered more than $644 million in fraudulent Medicaid payments. 

Governor DeWine announced new Medicaid fraud prevention initiatives last week that strengthen and build upon long-standing efforts to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in the Ohio Medicaid system. Additionally, Governor DeWine sent a letter to Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 1 committing Ohio to partnering with the Trump Administration and using a more stringent revalidation process to better prevent fraud.

Today's executive order implements emergency rules announced last week.

Under the authority of Ohio Revised Code Sections 5164.02. 5164.32, 5164.33, ODM will immediately amend Ohio Administrative Code rules to:

(1) permit Ohio Medicaid to terminate the provider agreements of Medicaid providers that have not provided Medicaid services or billed the Medicaid program in more than one year,

(2) require Medicaid providers that are at a higher risk for committing fraud to revalidate enrollment more frequently to confirm compliance with Medicaid program rules,

(3) allow Ohio Medicaid to require certain Medicaid providers to recredential as determined necessary by the Medicaid Director, and

(4) permit the denial of a provider enrollment application when a federally approved moratorium is in effect, even if the enrollment application was received but not approved before the moratorium began.

What’s Driving 3 Consecutive Years of Decline in National Drug Overdoses

Drug overdose deaths fell for a third consecutive year in 2025, down by 13.9%. It’s the first time the fatal overdoses have dipped to pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Eric Arzubi, CEO and founder of Frontier Psychiatry, suspects the drivers of the decline is a combination of the elimination of the federal X-waiver requirement for buprenorphine treatment, growing naloxone distribution and access, harm reduction practices, and heightened social awareness.

While the three years of consecutive decline in drug overdose deaths is positive news for the addiction treatment industry, Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on addiction care and advocacy work, called the progress “fragile” in a statement.

Psilocybin for Cocaine Use Disorder

This first randomized, quadruple-blind clinical trial of psilocybin for cocaine use disorder found that a single psilocybin dose combined with manualized psychotherapy produced more cocaine‑abstinent days, higher rates of complete abstinence, and fewer lapses over 180 days than active placebo plus psychotherapy. These early findings suggest psilocybin may hold promise as a novel treatment approach for cocaine use disorder.

ONDCP Releases the 2026 National Drug Control Strategy

The Office of National Drug Control Policy published the National Drug Control Strategy for 2026, outlining demand‑side actions to expand evidence‑based prevention, treatment and recovery supports.

It calls for scaling primary prevention for youth, integrating addiction treatment and early intervention into health care, and strengthening peer recovery services and recovery ready workplaces alongside intensified supply‑side and enforcement efforts.